Sugarcane is one of the most important crops for sugar production in sugarcane-growing areas. Many biotic and abiotic stresses affected the sugarcane production which leads to severe losses. Pokkah boeng is now playing a very important role due to its economic threats. Currently, the occurrence and rigorousness of pokkah boeng disease have been spread like wildfire from major sugarcane-growing countries. Pokkah boeng is a fungal disease that can cause serious yield losses in susceptible varieties. Infection of the disease is caused either by spores or ascospores. It may cause serious yield losses in commercial plantings. However, there have been many reported outbreaks of the disease which have looked spectacular but have caused trade and industry loss. Fusarium species complex is the major causal agent of this disease around the world, but some researchers have documented the increased importance of Fusarium. Three Fusarium species have been identified to cause the sugarcane pokkah boeng disease in China. Moreover, Fusarium may be accompanied of its mycotoxin production, genomic sequencing, and association with nitrogen application in China. Many studies on disease investigations, breeding of disease-resistant varieties, and strategy of disease control have also been carried out in China.
Part of the book: Fusarium
Sugarcane production in China has a prolonged history since fourth century BC. At present, China is the world’s third largest sugar producing country after Brazil and India. During the past decade, more than 90% of the sugar production was contributed by sugarcane. Guangxi is the dominant sugarcane and sugar producer, accounting for 65% of sugar production in China. China’s sugarcane production faced serious problems in the past several years, especially the rapid increase in the labor cost because of the manual harvest. Now, China requires changing their sugarcane practice from manual to mechanical in order to catch up with the international trends in worldwide industry. Many other challenges and constraints are becoming severe, including abiotic and biotic stress, cost escalation, over fertilization, poor ratooning, and single cultivar. New technologies will be applied to sugarcane production, including omics-based breeding, best management practices, and so on.
Part of the book: Sugarcane
Sugarcane is the major industrial crop grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions in China. More than 100 sugarcane diseases are identified around the globe; half have been reported in China. Many varieties of sugarcane were replaced due to the infection of new pathogenic disease. Recently, leaf scald was found in China, which is one of the major sugarcane diseases also seriously affecting growth of sugarcane. Several isolates were recovered and identified using ELISA and PCR assays from the symptomatic leaf samples in Guangxi, China. The genomes of our isolates from X. albilineans were re-sequenced and revealed that rpf gene encoded regulation of pathogenicity factors mainly involved in the pathogenesis of sugarcane. The disease is mainly transferred through seed cane. In the past, hot water treatment was used to manage the disease. Healthy seed cane from resistant cultivars could effectively manage the leaf scald disease in sugarcane.
Part of the book: Plant Diseases
Huanglongbing (HLB) or greening is a devastating phloem-intruding bacterial disease that generates various symptoms in leaves and fruits, threatening the global citrus industry. Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, Candidatus Liberibacter africanus, and Candidatus Liberibacter americanus are the causative agents of HLB in citrus-producing regions around many countries, and these proteobacteria are being vectorized by Diaphorina citri and Triozaerytreae. The lack of HLB-resistant citrus cultivars, the rapid spread of disease, and the fastidious nature of HLB-proteobacteria have made it difficult to mitigate HLB in the citrus field. There are numerous reports on the control of HLB disease using thermotherapy, chemotherapy, plant defense activators, brassinosteroids, and nanoemulsions. However, there is no evidence of such applicability of the methods mentioned above to complete the elimination or suppression of the pathogen to control HLB disease. We aim to provide an overall picture of HLB disease, its distribution, causal organism, pathogenic mechanism, and current and future strategies for combat against citrus Huanglongbing disease. This review may prompt the researchers toward an integrated and environmentally sustainable methodology for the mitigation/elimination of HLB pathogens.
Part of the book: Current and Emerging Challenges in the Diseases of Trees